Salt level indicator for brine tanks



March 1, 1949. E. Pm 2,463,304

SALT LEVEL INDICATOR FOR BRINE TANKS F'i1ed June 20, 1946 INVENTORZ Patented Mar. 1, 1949 SALT LEVEL INDICATOR FOR BRINE TANKS Eric Pick, East Rockaway, N. Y., assignor to The Permutit Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June 20, 1946, Serial No. 678,079

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a salt tank for a zeolite water softener having an opening in its top, and it comprises a cover for said opening, a hollow casing on said cover, a sight opening in at least one side of said casing, an indicator member pivotally mounted within said casing, said member having an eccentric weight exerting a rotative force tending to turn said indicator member so as to become invisible through said sight opening, a weighted float in said tank adapted to sink in concentrated brine and to rest on undissolved salt, and a cord. connected to said float and to said indicator member whereby said float is adapted to overcome the force exerted by said weight to turn said indicator member so as to become visible through said sight opening when the undissolved salt in said tank is below a predetermined level; all as more fully described hereinafter and as claimed.

In zeolite water softeners the Water is softened by passage through a bed of granular cation exchange material. When the water softening capacity of such material has become exhausted, it must be regenerated. This is usually done by flowing a solution of salt through the material and then rinsing out the spent brine. For convenience, it is customary to provide a salt tank which is of sufilcient size to contain salt for a number of regenerations, and to admit water to such salt tank to make up the required brine by dissolving the salt. Such brine is then always available for use in regeneration.

The objects of this invention are to provide simple, compact and efficient means to indicate when the supply of salt has been used up to such an extent that replenishing of the salt in the salt tank is in order, and more particularly to provide such indicating means which is neat in appearance and does not have any moving parts on the exterior of the tank where they might become damaged.

The manner in which these objects are achieved is shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a salt tank in accordance with my invention, there being a sufficient supply of salt;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l, but showing the salt used up to a point where replenishing is in order;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view on an enlarged scale, partly in section along lines 3-3 of Fig. 4, of the salt tank cover of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view, partly in section along line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a modification of the cover illustrated in Fig. 3, partly in section along line 5-5 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 6 is a view, partly in section along line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4, the salt tank I0 is provided with a top head ll having therein an opening I2 of ample size to permit convenient refilling of the tank with salt. An L-shaped tube 13 passes through a rubber grommet M in the top head H. The lower end of the tube I3 is closed, as by pinching it at l5, and provided with a number of slots H5. The lower end of the tube I3 is embedded in a layer of gravel l1 supporting a supply of granulated salt I 8. Above the salt is brine l9. The tube I3 is connected to an ejector (not shown) customarily provided in a zeolite water softener to transfer the brine from the salt tank to the cation exchange material. The tube 13 thus serves to withdraw brine from the salt tank I0, and it is also used to refill the salt tank ill with water subsequent to the withdrawal of brine. Such water admitted to the bottom of the salt tank I, being of lower specific gravity than the supernatant brine, rises and on contact with the salt I8 dissolves sufficient salt to become concentrated brine.

The opening i2 is closed by a removable cover 20 which is advantageously made of a relatively soft resilient material such as soft rubber, neoprene, buna or other suitable plastic having a hardness of about 85-90 on the Shore type A durometer. Such hardness is by no means critical, but advantageous because the cover then is sufficiently resilient so that it will not break when accidentally dropped, yet sufficiently rigid so that it will retain its shape well.

The cover 20 has a circular lip 21 fitting inside the opening l2 and reinforcing ribs 22 to give it strength and rigidity. The cover 20 is formed with an integral handle 23 forming a casing open towards the interior of the tank It). The handle 23 is provided with two sight openings 24, as shown.

Within the casing 23 is an indicator member 25 rotatably mounted by means of integral pivots'26 supported in bearings 21 in the sides of the casing 23. To place the pivots 25 in the bearings 21, the sides of the casing 23, made of soft rubber, are pulled apart until the indicator member can be inserted in its proper location. The indicator member 25 has an eccentric weight 28 and a tail 29 with a hole 30 therein. The tail has a projection 3| at its end. The indicator member 25 is advantageously made of ceramic material, such as glazed porcelain, but it may, of course, be made from any suitable rigid plastic or from metal. Porcelain, however, is particularly advantageous because it is inexpensive and unaffected by the action of salt.

rib 33 integral with the casing 23, acts as a stop for the projection 31 on the indicator member 25. The "indicator member :is thus able to retate through an angle of approximately 90 degrees.

Within the salt tank i0 is .a float .34, advantageously made of wood and provided with a ballast ring 35 which is made of a material :of sufiiciently high specific gravity, such "as porcelain, to make the assembly 34, 35 sink in brine, but rest on the top surface of submerged undissolved salt. A cord 36 is fastened to the hole in the indicator member 25 and to the rfioat 34. Such cord 36 may be made of any suitable material, but I have found glass or nylon particularly suitable as such materials are not subject to deterioration in the course of time.

In operationand with-an ample supplyof salt in the tank [-0, the parts occupy the positions shown in Fig. 1. The eccentric weight 28 causes the indicator member 25 to turn counter-clockwise until the projection 3| rests against the rib 33. In such position the indicator member is invisible through the sight opening 24. During each regeneration of the zeolite water softener a quantity of brine is withdrawn from tank It, and after each regeneration, fresh water is introduced through tube 13 to the bottom of the tank 10, dissolving some of the salt l8 so that the assembly .34, :is lowered stepwise, following the top ievel of the undissolved salt .down. When the :salt has been used up .to an .extent that replenishing is in order, the cord .36 becomes taut as shown in Fig. 2 and the weight of the assembly 34, 35 then overcomes the force exerted by the eccentric weight 28 and pulls the indicator member .25 into the position shown in Figs. 2, '3 and 4 where it becomes visible through the sight openings 24.

The appearance of the indicator member '25 in the sight openings '24 thus indicates to the user that the salt tank should be refilled with salt. The user then removes the cover 20 with all parts attached to it including the float assembly '34, 35, refills the tank I 0 with salt, and then replaces the cover, the assembl '34,, .35 thus coming to rest on the top surface .of the undissolved salt, and the indicator member turning out of sight under the rotative force exerted by the eccentric weight 128, as shown in Fig. 1.

'To provide ready visibility of the indicator member when it appears in the sight openings, it is advantageous to use strong color contrasts. Thus, it is advantageous to make the cover of black rubber and the indicator member of white procelain, providing sufiicient contrast to make the appearance and disappearance of the indicator member at the sight openings vissible at some distance from the tank.

In the modifications shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the cover 40 is likewise provided with a lip 4t fitting into the opening 12 and has reinforcing ribs 42. In the central portion of the cover an opening 43 is provided. In this modification the casing or handle 44 is made as a separate piece attached to the cover 40 by means of screws 45 screwed into bosses 49 in the four corners of casing 44. In this form the casing 44 is advantageously made of hard rubber, but may be made of any other suitable material such as plastic composition or metal. In the casing 44 are two shallow slots 46 adapted to receive the pivots 26 of the indicator member 25. The casing 44 is provided with sight openings 41 and a rib 48 .reiniforcing the casing and serving to limit the rotational movement of the indicator member 525. In assembly, the indicator member 25 is placed inside the casing 44, with the pivots 26 resting in 'the slots 46, before the casing 44 is screwed onto'the cover 40.

The operation of the modification shown in Figs. and 6 is exactly the same as that shown in Figs. 1 to 4,, the indicator member being shown in the position "which it occupies when there is an ample supply of salt in tank [0. In such position the projection 3| rests against the cover 40 .at the edgeof thehole 4.3.

.In either modification the pivots 26 have a loose fit in their bearings .50 as to allow free rotation of the indicator member. 'The length of cord 36 is advantageously made such that a need for refilling the salt tank is indicated when there is still some reserve supply of salt present in the tank.

Asshown, the casing for the indicator member .serves at the same time .as handle for the salt tank cover. There are no unsightly parts projecting on the outside or the cover which might become damaged during handling.

While I have shown what I consider preferred forms, modifications maybe made without .departing from the spirit of my invention 'and reference is therefore made .to the appended claim for a definition of the scope of my invention.

'What'I claim is:

A salt tank -for a zeolite Water softener having an opening in its top, which comprises a cover for said opening, said cover being of soft resilient material of the nature of 'soft'rubber, a' hollow casing on said cover, a sight opening in at least one side of said casing, an indicator member of porcelain within said casing, integral pivots on said indicator member, bearings for said pivots in said casing, said indicator member having an eccentric weight exerting a rotative force tending to turn isaid indicator member in said bearings so as to become invisible through saidsight opening, a weighted float in said tank adapted to sink in concentrated brine and to rest on undissolved saltyand a cord connected to said float and to said indicator member whereby said float is adapted to overcome the force exerted by said weight to turn said indicator member so as to become visible through said sight opening when the undissolved salt in said tank is below a predetermined level.

ERIC PICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent; 

